Around 40% of those aged 18-24 go on holiday overseas without taking out travel insurance.

Insurance is often the last thought on people’s mind when going abroad, and many people tend to buy it as an afterthought. But an incident in 2015 involving a 35 year old British man travelling in Bangkok has highlighted the importance of having comprehensive travel cover. Taken from the BBC website:

“35-year-old Craig Lindley, from Barnsley, fell ill while celebrating a friend's wedding on a Thai island. He was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome - which affects the peripheral nervous system - and was left paralysed. He was charged £20,000 for a five-day course of treatment in Bangkok. His ambulance and speedboat from the island to Koh Samui Hospital also cost £17,000”.

The Association of British Travel Agents recently surveyed 2,043 British travellers and found that 18 to 24 year olds were the most likely demographic to go on holiday without taking out insurance with almost 40% doing so. This is worrying, as the cost of even the smallest medical procedure can be enormous for tourists in other countries.

Worthless Policies

Buying insurance without studying the policy is not advisable either. Taking out token travel insurance cover could be a pointless exercise if it doesn’t sufficiently cover you for important things. Take a look at our blog post on the things to look out for and consider on your policy before buying a worthless policy.